


even as the world ends, i will be with you forever

by Spada



Category: Given (Anime), Given (Manga)
Genre: Boys In Love, Comfort, Falling In Love, Fluff, M/M, Sappy, Self-Doubt, haruki loving akihiko v much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:27:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22081045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spada/pseuds/Spada
Summary: In which Haruki still faces the remaining doubts in his heart.
Relationships: Kaji Akihiko/Nakayama Haruki
Comments: 1
Kudos: 95





	even as the world ends, i will be with you forever

**Author's Note:**

> a little sappy thing I wrote because I love those two and they love each other :D

What was love? The genuine, down-to-earth, true meaning, of love?

Was it the indescribable pain of loneliness that flooded his heart? Was it the terrible guilts and jealousy that blinded him? Or perhaps it was the burning wish to move on, to throw away these feelings and watch them float away, like ashes dispersed in the wind.

Haruki opens his eyes.

No matter what those voices tell him, love is the warmth he feels, radiating from Akihiko’s protective arms as they encircle Haruki’s bare frame, bringing him closer to his chest. He feels safe, encased by only love and warmth, as if Akihiko would protect him from anything. He snores quietly, oblivious to Haruki’s haunting thoughts and he can’t help but envy the look of peace on his face. 

“I love you, so,  _ so  _ much.”

He whispers, his voice drowned out by his thoughts and the aching pain in his chest. He closes his eyes, letting the dark warmth take him back to sleep once more. Akihiko’s presence, his  _ warmth _ is a drug; it’s addicting, and after one taste, Haruki needs  _ more.  _

Maybe he’s touch starved from being lonely all the time. From watching everyone else find love and warmth while he was left in the cold. Perhaps, he was so desperate to the point he was willing to give up anything to be loved.

He has what he wants, but it’s not enough.

Selfish. What a selfish child.

The city lights twinkle outside of the window, dancing within the night’s air with no care in the world. The alley cats wander along the abandoned suburbs, in search of everything and nothing, accompanied by the crickets and the wanderers of the night.

Haruki inhales a deep breath, taking in Akihiko’s comforting scent as he snuggles deeper into his chest.

It was love. That, he was sure of. 

He loved Akihiko, and Akihiko loved him. The thought of reassurance made his eyes feel heavy, and sleep soon overcame him, taking him away from all of his doubts and fears.

* * *

The day after that night, he’s not plagued by his doubts. He’s glad for that, truly. There’s always been something about the night that he hated; and that was the opportunity to think. With music, he lived off the euphoria, the blank state of mind where he was merely driven by the rush of the music. 

But the night was quiet. It was filled with nothing, and with that blank canvas, thoughts sprouted and grew, splattering onto the pure white like black ink. Dark and unexpected. No matter how hard he tries to erase it, the marks smudge and taint his fingers and he begins to fall deeper, deeper into the abyss.

But he’s back. 

A few days later, Akihiko is practicing the drums (well, his makeshift drums consisting of stacked up books) in their living room. He has his headphones on, nodding his head to the music they previously record as he follows along, tweaking a few notes here and there. Haruki quietly watches, occasionally looking up from his magazine. It’s a new edition of some band magazine and his eyes skim through an interview section with one of the more popular bands. 

A question catches his eye.

“What would you do if the world ended?” he whispers to himself. There’s no immediate answer. He has no idea. Haruki pressed his lips into a thin line. 

What  _ would  _ he do?

The two stay like that for a few more minutes, and soon enough, it’s nearly time for their weekly rehearsal with Mafuyu and Uenoyama.

The question haunts him, the words floating through the seams between each note he plays.

Maybe it’s because he knows the answer immediately when he turns to see Akihiko smiling brightly at Mafuyu’s unintentionally funny remark to Uenoyama’s advice. 

Or maybe because he knows it so well, that he’s so overly confident in his answer, that he’s unsure of his own emotions.

* * *

It’s a Friday night, and both Haruki and Akihiko are not quite done with their night as the two young ones are. As they ride home on Akihiko’s bike, he yells over his shoulder, “Want to grab a drink or two?”

Haruki nods against Akihiko’s back. He doesn’t have work tomorrow, so it’s fine if he gets a bit tipsy, perhaps even drunk tonight. Akihiko gives a little laugh, one that gives Haruki butterflies in his stomach, before turning around to head to the nearest liquor store in the area.

* * *

The two pick up a few cartons of beer and quickly head home, kicking their shoes off as soon as they pass through the boundary between the outside and home. 

They drink as the night grows old, talking about everything--from the new song plans to past memories. There’s a fuzzy feeling in Haruki’s heart as he continues to take a sip, two, three of his beer and he boldly reaches a hand down to grasp Akihiko’s, who immediately returns the gesture by lacing their fingers together. 

His broad, calloused hands run over Haruki’s smooth skin, and it burns. 

Perhaps it was the alcohol that made Haruki confident in his final answer as the words disappear in a wisp, long forgotten as the night continued.

“Akihiko.”

“Hm?”

Said man sets down his coffee mug, looking up at Haruki with a raised eyebrow. 

“What would you do if the world was about to end?”

The questions escapes his lips so smoothly.

_ A strange question,  _ Akihiko thinks. 

“Where’d that come from?”

”Just a thought I had. So?”

He wasn’t lying. After pondering his own answer, he wondered what Akihiko would say. 

“Isn’t it obvious?” 

Akihiko stood up before making his way to Haruki. In a single smooth move, he wrapped his arms around Haruki’s torso, pulling him in as he leaned his cheek against the back of his neck. A breath escaped his lips, making Haruki shiver at the sudden warmth.

“I’d spend every last moment with you.”

Haruki is silent, soaking in the words so slowly as if to relish in the pure, genuine love behind his words. His shock is doubled when he realizes it’s the  _ same  _ words he would have told Akihiko. 

But his words were so confident, so easily spoken as if it was an obvious thing. There was no hesitation, no stutter or fear in his words. 

Perhaps it was because Haruki wasn’t familiar with such a genuine love that he was so surprised. Words of such affection and devotion were never for his ears. He blinked owlishly, staring at Akihiko, who had loosened his grip to let the other fully turn around and face him. 

“What?” Akihiko asks, “You’re giving me a weird look. Was it really that cheesy?”

That snaps Haruki out of his stupor, who shakes his head vigorously in immediate denial. 

“No! I mean, yes! I mean,” he pauses when Akihiko laughs. “I...Would you really?”

“Yes. If the world was ending and the two of us were going to die in some strange natural phenomenon, I would want to be by your side until the very end. That is, if you’ll have me.”

“Of course,” Haruki responds. “It’s the same for me, after all.”

He reaches up, wrapping his arms around Akihiko’s neck and pulling him in for a kiss. It’s slow and warm and Haruki knows for a fact that his cheeks are ablaze as his heart flutters uncontrollably and it feels just a little bit too hot for him. As they part, he leans against Akihiko, standing in his embrace and finding the words to his answer.

From the very beginning, he knew as well, that he would stay by Akihiko’s side until the end of time.


End file.
